Quiz: Howstuffworks

Can You Identify the World's Strangest Animals?

Ian Fortey

Image: Aprison Photography / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Do you know how many different species exist on our planet? Millions. Close to 9 million, in fact, as far as anyone can guess. Estimates that include microscopic life have ballooned that number up to about one trillion, which is a number so big that you can't even wrap your head around it. With that many species on hand, you can't be surprised to know that one or two of them are way weirder than the others. After all, if everything was just two normal eyes and a couple of legs it'd get boring really quickly. Variety is the spice of life, and weirdness is what makes it interesting and kind of fun.

There's no way to know all the species in the world, but you should get to know at least of few of the really weird ones. It's cool to see all that nature has created. Of course, if you think you already know a lot about the strangest creatures in the world, then maybe you need to show that skill off. Why not hop on into this quiz where we've put together 40 of the best and weirdest the world has to offer and see just how many you can identify from a photo alone. Think you have what it takes?

Antonio Camacho / Moment / Getty Images

Glaucus atlanticus is the scientific name of this little alien-looking sea beast. What is it commonly called?

Ocean Fox

Sea Cucumber

Blue Dragon

Devil Ray

The blue dragon is one of the most unusual and rare creatures in the sea and is a member of the sea slug family. Not particularly slug-like in appearance, this little guy is just over one inch in length and despite its size, it can pack a very painful sting if you pick one up.

Richard McManus / Moment / Getty Images

What's the name of this big-eyed little guy that can be found in trees around Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand?

Flying Fox

Sunda Colugo

Skrep's Lemur

Pangolin

The Sunda Colugo is sometimes called a flying lemur which is ironic for two very good reasons -- it is not a lemur and it doesn't fly. Hey, no one's perfect. It's actually a colugo, which is a species closely related to primates and while it doesn't fly, it is good at gliding.

Wiki Commons by cliff1066™

Can you identify this adorable little critter that is only 10 centimeters long?

Pink Fairy Armadillo

Jeraboa

Dik-Dik

Lacey's Frost Gopher

Native to Argentina, the pink fairy armadillo is the smallest member of the armadillo family and looks kind of like an earless bunny in body armor. Their relatively giant feet are good for digging, and these little guys spend nearly all their lives underground, surfacing at night to hunt bugs.

Dorit Bar-Zakay / Moment Open / Getty Images

Native to South America, this looks like a dog and a deer had a baby. Do you know what it is?

Okapi

Gerenuk

Fennec Fox

Maned Wolf

The Maned Wolf is not actually a wolf and it is not a fox either. It's the only member of its own genus and it's the largest member of the dog family you'll find in South America. They're known to be very nervous around humans so they don't pose much of a threat if you encounter one. Usually.

Wiki Commons by Unnikrishnan Nair P.K.

Just look at this weird little guy who doesn't usually appear until a monsoon wakes him up for mating. What is it called?

Sea Pig

Glass Frog

Mata-Mata

Indian Purple Frog

The Indian Purple Frog is also sometimes called a pig-nosed frog because just look at that weird little snout. When rainy weather comes and the frogs are able to mate, the females will lay around 3,000 eggs. That's a lot of weird little babies

Gregory_DUBUS / E+ / Getty Images

What do you call this creature that you can actually hear making noise as it hovers in place to eat?

Japanese Giant Hornet

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

Ladybird

Bugbeak

The hummingbird hawk-moth gets its name from the fact it is a lot like a hummingbird. Not only does it hover over a plant to feed on nectar with its long proboscis much like a hummingbird, but it also hums as it does so just as the bird does.

Wiki Commons by Sharp Photography / Charles J Sharp

Males of this species grow a large lump on their snout said to resemble an earthenware pot. What are they?

Komodo Dragon

Thorny Devil

Gharial

Long-Nosed Gecko

The Gharial is obviously related to alligators and crocodiles and is native to parts of India. If you've never seen one before it's not that surprising -- there are believed to be fewer than 250 of these animals left in the wild thanks to a variety of factors destroying their habitat and food supply.

Hal Beral / Corbis / Getty Images

Tell us the name of this little guy who's either mad at you or wants a kiss.

Goblin Shark

Red-Lipped Batfish

Blobfish

Hagfish

The red-lipped batfish can be found near the Galapagos Islands and, despite being a fish, kind of stinks at swimming. The fish uses its pectoral fins like little feet and will walk around the ocean floor instead of swimming, which seems to work out for it.

Jupiterimages / PHOTOS.com>> / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

If a zebra and a giraffe had a baby, it'd be this animal. Name it!

Tufted Deer

Dik-Dik

Klipspringer

Okapi

Okapis are native to Central Africa and are more closely related to giraffes than they are to zebras, despite those stripes on the legs. In fact, the okapi and the giraffe are the only two members of the same family in the animal kingdom, and they're also endangered.

This creature will make a tent out of the underside of plant leaves and live in there during the day. What is it?

Flying Fox

Honduran White Bat

Echidna

Lamprey

These tiny bats are only a couple of inches long and they're covered in bright white fur, though the hair near their butt tends to be tipped in grey. They will use their teeth to slice up the large leaves of plants to make a shelter or tent for themselves where they will roost during the day.

Bernard Radvaner / Corbis / Getty Images

Do you recognize this creature? The female of the species can grow to be six feet tall.

Kiwi

Shoebill

Emu

Cassowary

Cassowaries are large, flightless birds related to emus and ostriches that are native to Australia and New Guinea. Not only can they run faster than a human, but they also have a 5-inch long claw on their middle toe that's extremely sharp. So yeah, don't get chased by a cassowary.

Wiki Commons by Bree Mc

What do you call this spiky creature found in Central Africa?

Spiny Bush Viper

Thorny Devil

Axolotl

Boomslang

The spiny bush viper is a venomous snake that has the extremely unusual characteristic of what they call "keeled" scales. That's another way of saying that, as the name suggests, they're spiky. It's safe to assume they don't back up through things very often for fear of getting stuck.

Wiki Commons by Heush

Do you know what to call this animal that looks like Dracula got a hold of Bambi?

Pronghorn

Ocelot

Dik-Dik

Tufted Deer

The male of the tufted deer has some prominent canine fangs and still they named it after the tuft of hair on its head like that was somehow a better name than "Fang Deer." Found mostly in China, these are also pretty small for deer with the largest not getting much above 60 pounds.

Image captured by Joanne Hedger / Moment / Getty Images

What's the name of this mammal that inexplicably has scales?

Armadillo

Pangolin

Fossa

Babirusa

Pangolins are very unusual creatures covered in scales made from keratin, the same substance that comprises hair and fingernails. Unfortunately, they're hunted for both their meat and their scales and are considered a threatened species as a result.

annaglynn via YouTube

You can find this striking creature on an Australian mountain. What is it?

Kaputar Pink Slug

Giant Slurm

Eyeless Worm

Banana Slug

Found on Mount Kaputar in Australia in an area that's about 40 square miles and nowhere else, the Kaputar Pink Slug is a giant slug that's as weirdly pink as its name suggests. Apparently on a cool morning, you can find them hanging out by the hundreds.

Alastair Pollock Photography / Moment / Getty Images

What's the name of this animal that could be described as the most glamorous sea horse ever?

Leafy Seadragon

Dumbo Octopus

Mantis Shrimp

Bobbitt Worm

The Leafy Seadragon can be found off the coast of Australia and is, in fact, related to the sea horse. The large number of weird, leafy structures on its body are there to act as camouflage and help it blend in with sea plants.

Wiki Commons by RenataPUG

Do you know what this oddly adorable little bug is called?

Flerkin

Fuzzy Termite

Panda Ant

Domino Ant

Another in a long line of ironically named creatures, the panda ant is, of course, not a panda but it's also not even an ant. It's actually a kind of wingless wasp and though it may not have the most painful sting in the world, it's not one you want to experience either.

Wiki Commons by NOAA Okeanos Explorer

You'd have to be really good at holding your breath to find this funny looking creature. What is it?

Dumbo Octopus

Giant Squid

Sea Pig

Vampire Squid

The Dumbo octopus gets its name from exactly where it sounds like -- the Disney movie. These deep sea creatures can be found at an incredible depth of 13,000 feet all the way down to over 20,000 feet below the surface.

Copyright Arto Hakola / Moment / Getty Images

Madagascar is where you'll find this little punk rocker-looking creature. Do you know its name?

Tegu

Jerboa

Lowland Streaked Tenrec

Forge Valley Rat

The lowland streaked tenrec is a remarkable animal thanks to the fact it has one skill that makes it unique among all mammals -- stridulation. Like the mighty cricket, the lowland streaked tenrec can make noise just by rubbing its legs.

Wiki Commons by Andrey Giljov

You can't really call this thing part deer, part anteater, part elephant, so what do you call it?

Mata-Mata

Pronghorn

Fossa

Saiga Antelope

The unusual Saiga Antelope is most easily recognized by its strange nose which resembles a very small elephant trunk and looks like it came straight out of sci-fi. Normally found in Eurasia and across Russia, there was a tragic population loss of Saiga in 2015 when literally tens of thousands of the animals died suddenly in the span of mere days, the result of an unusual bacterial infection.

aiqingwang / E+ / Getty Images

If you see this creature's nose you're not likely to forget it. That said, are you aware of its name?

Pygmy Marmoset

Snub-Nosed Monkey

Proboscis Monkey

Mandrill

Found in Asia, this unusual, blue-faced monkey didn't suffer an accident, it just has a super weird nose with forward-facing nostrils. The result is that it looks like someone cut the monkey's nose off. They need to be careful when it rains to not look up.

Wiki Commons by Dementia

Is the name of this animal that you'll likely only see if it comes up for air something you know?

Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle

Mata-Mata

Galapagos Tortoise

Artemis Turtle

Cantor’s giant softshell turtle has a shell that feels a bit like leather and eyes that are extremely close together. Not a lot is known about them as they aren't studied much or even seen that much since they stay buried except for when they need to breathe or, presumably, mate.

Wiki Commons by Charles J Sharp

What do they call this animal from Madagascar that blends in very well with the trees where it lives?

Blue-Bellied Skink

Reticulated Chameleon

Thorny Devil

Satanic Leaf-Tail Gecko

The Satanic Leaf-Tail Gecko really does look like a leaf which helps it blend into the trees in which it lives. Not only is its common name pretty dramatic but its Latin name is "phantatsticus" which means "imaginary."

Stefonlinton / E+ / Getty Images

Even though this is a four-legged animal, you can still find it on two legs sometimes. What is it?

Dik-Dik

Gerenuk

Klipspringer

Jerboa

The Gerenuk is an antelope you can run across if you go to Africa sometime. They're also called the giraffe gazelle because they have long, slender necks an also because they're able to actually get right up on their hind legs and graze from trees just like a giraffe does.

R. Andrew Odum / Photodisc / Getty Images

In South America, you can find this animal so long as you don't mistake it for a pile of dead leaves. Name it!

Pig-Nosed Turtle

Snake-Neck Turtle

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Mata Mata

Mata Mata turtles are highly unusual looking thanks to the bizarre, triangle-shaped head and their overall jagged and spiky appearance. The end of its snout also has what appears to be a horn on it.

Joao Inacio / Moment / Getty Images

Tell us what this intensely weird this little critter that is only found in Australia is called.

Echidna

Platypus

Wallaby

Koala

The platypus is the poster child for weird animals. It's a mammal that lays eggs, it has venomous spurs on its legs and it appears to be a beaver with a duck bill. So basically there's nothing normal about it at all.

Wiki Commons by Dianne Bray / Museum Victoria

Not only is this animal kind of monstrous, but its jaws can also literally lunge out of its mouth. Name it!

Goblin Shark

Narwhal

Irrawaddy Dolphin

Thresher Shark

Lucky for humans, the goblin shark is a deep-sea fish so you're not likely to run into the creepy thing on your next trip to the beach. Normally you won't find these until you're at least 300 feet below the surface, and often even deeper.

Wiki Commons by NOAA / MBARI

This critter is sometimes called a scotoplane, but it has a cuter name. What is it?

Sea Horse

Blobfish

Sea Pig

Sea Cow

As you might guess, the sea pig isn't remotely related to actual pigs. Instead, it's a kind of sea cucumber and lives on the floor of the ocean at an incredible depth, around 3,000 feet or so. They busy themselves extracting organic matter from sea mud. Yum!

Anup Shah / DigitalVision / Getty Images

Is this a saber-toothed pig? Not exactly. So what is it?

Okapi

Ibix

Warthog

Babirusa

The babirusa is sometimes called a deer-pig and is native to Indonesia. It's related to pigs but its most obvious feature are those dramatic tusks, unlike anything a wild boar could dream of. they actually grow up through the babirusa's skin and curve back towards its head.

Daniela Duncan / Moment Open / Getty Images

What's the name of this creepy customer that could give you a mostly harmless bite?

Forest Scorpion

Spiny Orb Weaver

Puff Spider

Horned Beetle

The spiny orb weaver is a very intimidating looking spider but is actually harmless. Their claim to fame is that spiny, dramatic-looking abdomen when can grow to be a couple of inches across.

kampee patisena / Moment / Getty Images

If this isn't a Pokemon (and it's not) then what is it?

Bluefin Tuna

Sunfish

Manatee

Irrawaddy Dolphin

The Irrawaddy dolphin is a rare dolphin that lives in the Bay of Bengal. They don't have a beak like your average dolphin and instead rock a smooth, round head that makes them look a bit like a happy cartoon.

You can see this animal's guts, which is weird, right? What's its name?

Glass Frog

Chubby Frog

Invisible Tree Frog

Bart's Toad

The glass frog gets its name from the fact it has a transparent abdomen. If you look at one from the bottom you can make out most of its digestive tract and internal organs. Imagine how hard it'd be to cheat on a diet if your stomach was like that.

Picture by Tambako the Jaguar / Moment Open / Getty Images

Tell us the name of this creature that isn't a cat no matter how much it looks like a cat. And it really looks like a cat.

Vervet

Ptarmigan

Fossa

Kingfisher

Native to Madagascar, the fossa looks like a cat but is more closely related to the mongoose. Whatever you call it, it's the largest carnivorous mammal on the island of Madagascar which puts it at the top of the food chain.

Ken Usami / Photodisc / Getty Images

Do you know how long this animal's legs are? It can grow to be about 18 feet from claw to claw. What is it?

King Crab

Japanese Spider Crab

Rock Lobster

Horseshoe Crab

The Japanese Spider Crab is the largest crab in the world thanks to those ridiculously long legs. They can weigh up to 40 pounds or more and they're caught for their meat which is considered a delicacy.

Robert Muckley / Moment Open / Getty Images

What is this odd creature that's considered a dangerously invasive species?

Elephant Snail

Grey's Sea Snail

Banana Slug

Giant African Snail

Giant African Snails are sometimes kept as pets because people are into weird pets so why not? You can't have them int he US though thanks to the fact they reproduce quickly and eat nearly everything in sight, making them dangerous for the environment.

Stan Tekiela / Moment / Getty Images

You can find this unusual-looking critter digging around in North America. What is it called?

Honey Badger

Star-Nosed Mole

Naked Mole Rat

Skinny Pig

The star-nose mole is famous for that highly unusual nose which it puts to good use in its day to day life. They use the nose to feel their way around and it has over 25,000 sensory receptors.

EVNautilus via YouTube

Sometimes this animal is called a slime eel. What other name does it have?

Hagfish

Grey Sea Snake

Tubeworm

Lamprey

The hagfish is a strange and, if we're being honest, kind of gross animal. Its natural defense is to create mucous and a lot of it. When threatened, the hagfish produces a mucous that combines with water and can create up to 20 liters of slime around the fish, choking predators and making the hagfish nearly impossible to grasp.

Nora Carol Photography / Moment / Getty Images

What's the name of this nosy animal that you can find in Borneo?

Pygmy Marmoset

Snub-Nosed Monkey

Proboscis Monkey

Flying Lemur

The proboscis monkey gets its name from that dramatic nose it has. The nose is used in mating since the female monkeys are apparently very attracted to a male with a big nose. That's just the way nature works sometimes.

Wiki Commons by Andrew Thurber, Oregon State University

Did you know that Kiwa is one of the names this animal goes by, even though it has a much more interesting common name?

Spider Crab

Yeti Crab

Goblin Crab

Bear Crab

The yeti crab gets its name from its furry arms and pale color which make it look like a bit of a melding of a normal crab and the abominable snowman. You can find them near hydrothermal vents in the ocean where the temperature is warmer than normal.

Wiki Commons by Carl Chun

The scientific name for this animal is actually cooler than its common name. What is it?

Vampire Squid

Devil Ray

Manta Ray

Giant Squid

The scientific name of the Vampire Squid is Vampyroteuthis infernalis which translate literally as "vampire squid from Hell." That may be the single most dramatic name is the entire animal kingdom.

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